BETWEEN TWO LYCANS

Nightmare Come True

‘Breakfast’ was a banquet of different varieties of foods, the smell of food filled her nose, causing her to immediately lose her appetite and dinner was even worse. All the meals she had ever dreamt of eating, in the quantities that could have served her for 3 days, were on her table with a dozen servants and guards watching her eat.

The next morning, Elsa woke up with a resolved mind. She needed to know what the hell was going on here.

“Irene!” She called and she came running into her room.

“Yes, my lady.” She answered with a bright smile and a bow.

“Please stop calling me that”, she begged, it made her feel so uncomfortable. She already felt out of place in such luxury, she didn’t need the only person whom she could talk to making it worse “I need to see the King. When will he call on me?”

“Umm… I’m… I’m afraid I don’t know, my la… ma’am” She replied, her face falling suddenly as she quickly avoided eye contact.

“Why do you sound so suspiciously?”

“I do not understand what you mean ma’am.”

“Since you don’t know, can you meet Andrews or call him to me so I can ask?” Elsa sighed.

“Andrews is very busy handling the affairs of the state with our King, his majesty.” Irene responded in a uniform tone, as though she had crammed the words. Elsa couldn’t help but notice suspicious play.

“Hmmm, is that so?” Elsa said, assessing her keenly.

“Yes, my lady.” Irene replied, the smile returning to her face. “Would you prefer breakfast to be served here or in the dining room?”

“Here.”

***

“Good morning, my lady. Would you prefer breakfast to be served here or in the dining room?” Irene asked with a bright smile.

“Here… as always.” Elsa replied. It was all she had ever done for the past two weeks here; eat, sleep, and take walks only around designated parts of the estate as she wasn’t allowed near the master’s mansion.

Immediately, Andrews walked in. “Good morning, my lady.” He greeted.

“Finally!” Elsa exclaimed, sprouting up to her feet.

“I trust you have been well, my lady.” He said with a smile.

“You trust wrong as I have not been well!” She replied passionately, she had waited for this moment for weeks. “I need to see the King.”

“The King is busy.”

“Doing what?!”

“His majesty is busy han…”

“Handling the affairs of the state, I know. I’ve heard it a thousand times already from your appointed attendant here”, she finished his sentence as she gestured toward Irene. Andrews shot poor Irene a look.

“For the past two weeks, all I have done is eat, sleep and walk! I AM TIRED! Did he buy me and bring me to this place to do just that?! Is he that hideous that he cannot show his face to me?” She said, raising her voice. Andrews hissed at her comment. The past two weeks had shown her that her life back home wasn’t as bad as she had thought, she was surrounded by all the things she hadn't even dared to have dreamt of owning but her life was a routine and it made her miserable.

Andrews kept silent.

Elsa’s eyes darted from her attendant to him. “Clearly, you’re both hiding something. But he cannot bring me here, trapped in this house away from the life I once had, and refuse to see me.” She scoffed.

“I need to leave now, my lady.” Andrews said, ignoring her words and dismissing himself.

“Andrews!”

“I will put a word in on your behalf to his majesty.” He added before leaving.

“Thank you, Andrews.” She said.

***

“My lady, my lady!” Irene called, barging into Elsa’s bedroom. “The King… has asked to see you at once! You will be leaving with him for the full moon ceremony soon.”

“What?! Are you sure?” Elsa asked, excitement and relief rushing through her veins.

“Yes, this is your dress.” Irene held out a beautiful blue gown and Elsa gasped at its splendour.

“Wait… the full moon?” She asked. “I… haven’t shifted yet, I don’t think I should be allowed to go because I won’t be able to turn.” She grabbed the dress and put it on.

“His Majesty is aware of this, my lady. He said that tonight will be different because only he will turn.”

“He knew?” Elsa asked, checking herself out in the mirror. Never had she ever looked so pretty.

“Yes, he specifically said not to worry about it.”

Immediately, she heard the sound of greetings from the sitting room.

“It must be him! He’s here, my lady!” Irene shrieked in excitement and Elsa could feel her heart beat faster. She was about to see him, the man who had brought her here for a reason yet unknown to her and prepared it so precisely for her comfort. She looked at herself in the mirror once more and blushed.

As she left her bedroom, she was met with the gaze of a tall man dressed in black, bright green eyes piercing into hers. Her mouth gaped open in awe. The man standing before her was nothing like they had said he was. He was gorgeous. She stared at his dark hair, his chiseled jaw, he looked so majestic, like a god. It frightened her.

He smiled at her, his eyes raking her dress. “You look breathtaking.” He said, his deep voice resounding through the passage. His voice sounded familiar. He moved closer.

“Your ma…” She started but stopped when her nose caught his scent. That strong musk scent… from the night in the forest.

His voice…

His scent…

It was him!

She looked at him, eyes widened in fear. “It’s you!” She said, “From the forest.”

“Elsa…”, he moved closer to her.

“Stay away from me! It was you, right?” She asked, her voice quivering in fear.

“Yes, it was me who saved you”, He said, with a small smile playing at the corner of his mouth, “I'm Jared, it's nice to finally meet you, Elsa”.